A Chinese official who found a way to keep his leather shoes dry in a flood has been booted from his job.

Jiangxi vice-director Wang Junhua, was photographed taken a "piggyback" ride on a clerk to cross an ankle-deep flood, with his light brown leather shoes in plain sight, reported the Wall Street Journal.

The photo went viral after being posted on SinaWeibo, China's top micro-blogging site.

He was sacked after local authorities said the inappropriate act had had a negative social impact and tarnished the image of party officials.